TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2008
Reputed $1.2 Million Paid to Free Spanish Hostages
by Baron Bodissey
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2008/04/reputed-12-million-paid-to-free-spanish.html#readfurtherIt took two and a half months of captivity before the crew of the Danica White was freed, but a little over a week ago a Spanish fishing boat was captured by Somali pirates, and by Saturday the crew had been released.
On Saturday the BBC reported:
Pirates free crew of Spanish boat
Pirates have released a Spanish fishing boat and its 26 crew members seized off the coast of Somalia last week.
The Playa de Bakio, a Basque tuna fishing boat, was released along with all of its crew on Saturday, the Spanish government says.
Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa de la Vega said the crew were safe and on their way to “safer waters”.
She said the release had been achieved through talks. A local official told the BBC a $1.2m ransom had been paid.
This is just as AMDG predicted: for “negotiations” read “paying of ransom”.
The article continues:
- - - - - - - - -
“Five men on a speed boat came to the ship and informed the pirates that they were ready to meet their demand of ransom,” said Abdi-salam Khalif Ahmed, a local leader in the Somali port town of Haradhere.
“They then boarded the ship and handed a bag with $1.2m to the leader of the pirates.”
Ms de la Vega, who did not comment on whether a ransom had been paid, said her government had taken steps to ensure that “a similar situation does not taken place again”.
“We must put an end to maritime piracy,” she added.
Well, duh — keep on paying ransom, and you’ll get more piracy.
This isn’t rocket science.
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